Hangzhou 2days

During this May Day holiday, I finally visited West Lake in Hangzhou, and it was such a great experience—even with the crowds, I had a wonderful time. I followed the advice to get up early, and got to Longxiangqiao Station on Metro Line 1 before 7 a.m. The streets were still quiet, and I started my trip from the Broken Bridge.

I walked along the White Causeway first, with willows and peach trees on both sides, looking so beautiful in the morning light. Then I went to Su Causeway, took my time strolling and enjoying the lake view. Later, I took a lake cruise to Santanyinyue, which is the spot on the one-yuan banknote—it was even more stunning in real life. In the afternoon, I went to Yanggong Causeway to avoid the peak crowds; it was much quieter there, with peaceful lakes and greenery.

For lunch, I ate at Zhiweiguan near the lake. I tried Longjing shrimp, West Lake vinegar fish and Pian'erchuan noodles—all authentic Hangzhou dishes, and they tasted amazing. In the evening, I climbed Leifeng Pagoda, watched the sunset over the lake, and the view was breathtaking. Before leaving, I went to Hefang Street to buy some snacks like Congbao Hui and Dingsheng Gao.

A few tips from my experience: book the cruise and Leifeng Pagoda tickets in advance, wear comfortable shoes because you’ll walk a
lot, and bring sunscreen and a water bottle. Traveling early or late in the day really helps avoid the worst crowds. Overall, it was a perfect trip, and I fell in love with the beauty of West Lake.